Stabilizing mechanism for railway trucks



- Feb. 8, 1944 K. EDAHL' STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS FiledMay 3, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ir' wsrf'ron BY M .fl zpww 76f ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 8, 1944. K. EDAHL STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS- FiledMay 3, 1941 3 SheetsSheet 2 'mvsmoa ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 8, 1944. EDAHL v 2 ,340,869

STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS Filed May a, 1941 ssheets-sheet 3 mm v N INVENTOR. Q M M BY 7am ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 8, 1944 STABILIZIN G MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS KnuteEdahl, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Holland Company, a corporation ofIllinois Application May 3, 1941, Serial No. 391,773

8 Claims.

This invention relates to trucks for railway cars and more particularlyto means for stabilizing the mechanism for banking the bolster oncurves.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a newand improved mechanism for causing banking of the truck bolster withouttilting the bolster supporting springs relative to the bolster when thetruck moves around curves at high speeds.

A further object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmeans for connecting the bolster and swing hangers for insuringsimultaneous movement of these two elements together with novel meansfor causing banking of the bolster on curves.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of new andimproved means for swingingly supporting the bolster from a truckframein such a manner that the bolster will be supported by spring assembliesthat in turn are held by suitable means from tipping or tilting relativeto the bolster.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedmeans for stabilizing the bolster supporting and banking mechanism of arailway truck that is simple in construction, easily installed,ineXpensive to manufacture, and that is efficient and positive in actionduring its operation.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. Us a side elevation of a railwaytruck, esr pecially adapted for passenger service;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through a portion of the bolsterand the supporting mechanism with parts broken away and showing amodified form of construction;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the truck showing a modified form ofbolster suspension; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation thereof, with parts in section and partsbroken away.

The advent of high speed trains has necessitated changes in theconventional railway equipment to meet the new requirements. Many newproblems have arisen. For instance, the roadbeds, for the most part,were designed for trains at much lower speeds and hence the banking oncurves with conventional equipment is inadequate for present day travel.The increased centrifugal force on curves presents a problem in theproper banking of the cars and the increased speeds over end joints andthe augmented shock of the wheel flanges against the rails during thenosing of the trucks and on curves presents serious questions that maybe, for the most part,

ignored in slower moving cars. The present invention seeks to stabilizethe movement of the bolster and spring assemblies and cause increasedbanking of the bolster when the truck travels around curves.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character l0, Fig. 2,designates a railway car which comprises the body ll, shown more or lessdiagrammatically in Fig. 2, and the truck or substructure I 2 thatsupports the body.

The truck I2, as herein disclosed, is, for the most part, theconventional passenger car truck and comprises the conventional truckframe l3 having the side bars l4. Each end of each side bar I isprovided with downwardly extending -pedestals l5 and I6, Fig. 1, as isusual in such constructions. Slidably mounted between the pedestalsateach end of the frame It are the journal boxes I! and I8, respectively,and seated on these journal boxes at each side of the truck are theconventional equalizer bars l9 and 2!.

These bars are arranged in pairs at each side of I the truck, as shownin section in Fig. 2.

Extending transversely to the truck at the central portion thereof aretransoms 22 and 23, Fig. 5, which rigidly connect the central portion ofthe side frames I 3 together and are spaced apart to form clearance fora bolster 2 5 which is adapted to be positioned between these transomsin the usual manner. The central portion of the bolster is provided witha conventional coupling 25 which engages a cooperating coupling member26 on the body bolster 21 of the body H. conventional coupling pin isshown at 28.

The truck frame [3 is supported from the equalizer bars at each side ofthe truck by means of spring assemblies 29 and 3| at opposite endportions of the equalizer bars, Fig. 1. Each of these assembliescomprises a spring seat as 32 on which the helical springs 33 areseated. The spring seat 32 rests on the equalizer bars and is held inposition by means .of a tongue or projection 34 extending between thebars and a bolt 35 extending transversely through the bars and theprojection. The upper ends of the springs 33 engage beneath the sidebars Ill for supporting the same.

The

The truck construction thus far described is of the usual or any wellknown type and for that reason, it is not thought necessary to furtherdescribe or illustrate the same.

Suitable means are provided for resiliently supporting the bolster fromthe truck frame [3 and in the construction disclosed, swing hangers andspring units are employed for this purpose, as is usual in suchconstructions.

In the form of the construction selected to illustrate one embodiment ofthe invention, there is a spring hanger 36 at each side of the truck andeach spring hanger is inthe form of a U with upstanding arms that arepivoted as at 31 and 38 to the side frames, as shown more clearly inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The spring or swing hangers 36 atopposite sides of the truck are connected together by a spring plank 39,Fig. 2, which is so constructed that the spring hangers in normalposition will diverge downwardly so that upon rounding curves, thebolster is free to swing to a limited extent end- Wise in eitherdirection. As a result of the in clination of the swing hangers, theouter end of the swing hanger will move upwardly more rapidly than theother end of the spring hanger moves downwardly when the bolster movesendwise so that the body will be banked to a certain extent on curves.In order to increase the banking action, the connection between thespring hangers and the ends of the spring plank are speciallyconstructed. This connection is substantially the same as that disclosedin the joint application of Edahl et 2.1., Serial No. 369,180, forRailway car trucks. The essential features of this connection will nowbe described.

Since this connection is the same at both ends of the spring plank, onlyone need be described.

As shown in Fig. 2, the spring plank is provided on its under side ateach end with a downward extension 4! which is curved on its lower sidefor engaging a corresponding curved recess 42 on the upper side of thehorizontal portion 43 of the spring hangers 35 and upwardly andoutwardly of this downward extension or projection, the spring plank isprovided with a curved recess 44 which is adapted to be engaged by anupwardly and outwardly extending projection 45 on the cross member 43 ofthe spring hanger when the spring hanger 36 moves outwardly. Thisprojection is materially above the lower edge of the projection 4|. Inother words, the parts are so constructed that when the projection 4!engages in the recess 42, the parts will be in normal position, as shownin Fig. 2. The projection 45 is normally spaced from the recess 44 sothat the swing hanger 36 and with it the bolster will have a limitedoutward swinging movement before the projection 45 engages the recess44. When the bolster swings outward a predetermined distance, theprojection 45 will engage in the bottom of the recess 44. From there onthe efiective radius of the swing hanger will be decreased andconsequently, the lifting or vertical movement of the spring plank willbe materially increased so as to bank the car body at a greaterinclination than it would with the swing hangers merely pivoted to thespring plank in the conventional manner.

Interposed between the spring plank 39 and the bolster at each endthereof are a plurality of springs 46 and in the form shown, ellipticsprings are employed, Figs. 1 and 2. These springs at each end of thebolster are assembled together as a unit by clips 41 and. 48 at theouter ends of the springs and by the clips 40 and 50, Fig. 2, thatengage the central portions of the springs for holding the springs as asingle unit under each end of the bolster. These units engage betweencooperating fiange members 60 and 10 on the underside of the bolster andthe upper surface of the spring plank 39, respectively.

When the truck is caused to travel at high speed on curves, the bolsterwill be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force and unless means beprovided for preventing it, the bolster will tend to tilt the springs 46relative to the spring plank. In order that the springs may be so heldthat the weight may be applied substantially normal to the same, aradius arm, plate or stabilizing bar is provided. This arm or bar mustbe so constructed and attached that it will cause the spring plank tomove with the bolster and at the same time, permit the verticaloscillation of the springs 46.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 2, this is accomplished by theuse of a spring arm or resilient radius member 49 which connects thebolster and the spring plank. As shown, the bolster is provided with arigid projection 5i extending downwardly adjacent to the inner ends ofthe springs 46 at one side of the truck and is adapted to be attached tothe spring plank adjacent to the springs at the opposite side of thetruck as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. It is desirable that the radiusarm be as long as practical in order that its effect on the relativelateral movement of the bolster and spring plank be reduced to a minimumwhen the springs are compressed. This radius bar 49 is rigidly attachedto the projection 51 and to the spring plank in a manner that will nowbe described.

The spring plank 39 is provided with a longitudinally extending recess52, Fig. 3, and at the outer end of this recess, the spring plank isprovided at its opposite edges with a pair of depending jaws or ears 53through which transverse slotted ojenings 54 are provided, Fig. 2.Extending transversely of the spring plank and above the slotted opening54 is a transverse member 55 integral with the spring plank and havingits upper edge extending slightly above the upper edge of the springplank. The lower side of the .ransverse member 55 is curved incross-section for engaging in the concavity of a corresponding curvedend 56 of the radius arm 49. A saddle or movable clamping member 51engages the lower or convex surface of the extension 56. The clampingmember is held in clamping position by means of a wedge-shaped bolt 58extending through the slot 54, Fig. 4, and having a nut 59 threaded onthe smaller end thereof. This wedge-shaped bolt or member 58 is adaptedto engage an inclined surface ll of the clamping member 51 and force thesame upwardly'into clamping engagement with the member 56 for holdingthe same rigidly against the transversely extending member 55 of thespring plank. The

connection at 6! is. similar to that already described in which a saddleor clamping member 12 clamps the curved inner end 63 of the radiusmember 49 against a transverse member 62 rigid with the extension 5|. AWedge-shaped bolt 64,

similar to the bolt 58, is employed for wed-ging' the parts together.

It will thus be seen that both ends of the radius member 49 are rigidlyheld in position, one being rigidly connected to the extension 5 I andthe other to the spring plank 39.

The radius member 49 is of spring material so that its resiliency willpermit the vertical oscillation or vibration of the bolster relative tothe spring plank.

The form of the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 differs from thatshown in Figs. 3, 4 and in that a rigid radius arm or member 65 isemployed instead of the resilient arm or bar 49 of the previouslydescribed construction. This arm is pivoted to the bolster and springplank. In this form of the device, the bolster is provided with adownwardly extending rigid arm 66 which is integral with or rigidlyconnected to the bolster and has its lower end bifurcated as at 13. Theradius or stabilizing bar 65 is pivotally connected to this extensionbetween the furcations 13 as shown at 61 in Figs. 6 and 7.

The outer end of the radius rod or member 65 is likewise pivotallyconnected to the spring plank 39a as at 68. Suitable journal bushings I4may be provided for both ends of the radius arm, if desired. This rigidrod 65 will cause the spring plank 39a to move with the bolster and atthe same time, will permit the bolster to move vertically relative tothe spring plank 39a for accommodating the vertical movements of thesprings 46. The spring plank 39a is provided with a slot 52a similar tothe slot 52 in the form of the construction shown in Fig. 3. The radiusarm operates in this slot.

In the operation of the device, the bolster and spring plank are free toswing laterally to 2. limited extent which will permit the ordinarynosing of the truck. On curves, however, due to centrifugal action, theprojections will engage the recesses 44 for shortening the radius aroundwhich the outer spring hanger rotates and consequently, on curves, theouter spring hanger will raise the outer end of the bolster a greateramount when the inner end of the bolster is lowered thereby banking thebolster on curves. During this lateral movement, the radius rod orstabilizer bar 49 will cause the spring plank and the bolster to moveoutwardly simultaneously and to substantially the same amount wherebythe load will be applied normal to the springs 46.

In the form of the construction shown in Fig. 6, the radius rod orstabilizer bar will pivot at 61 and 68 thereby providing for thevertical movement of the bolster on the springs 46. v

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 8, the truck frame is shown atT5 and is provided with the side frame members 16 and 11 which arerigidly connected together at their intermediate portions by thetransoms I8 at opposite sides of the bolster 19 as in the previousconstruction. Since the arrangement of the springs 8!, equalizer bars82, spring plank 83 and the radius bar 84 are substantially the same asin the previous construction, it is not thought necessary to repeat thedescription at this point.

This form of construction difiers from that disclosed in Figs. 1 to '7in that the cooperating cam means for banking the bolster on curves isprovided at the upper ends of the hanger members 35 instead of at thelower ends as in the previous construction.

Each of the transoms I8 is provided with a vertical slot 86 extendinglongitudinally of the transom and through which extend the hangermembers or links 85, as shown more clearly in Fig. 9. A recess 81 isprovided in the transoms above the slot 86 for receiving a head 88 ofthe hanger link 85. The bottom wall of the recess 81, Fig. 8, isprovided with an upwardly extending tooth or projection 89, Fig. 1, atopp site sides of the link 85, Fig. 9, each having recesses 9| and 92 at{opposite sides thereof arranged longitudinally of the transoms. Therecess 9! extends downwardly to a lower level than the recess 92, asshown in Fig. 8. The head 88 of the corresponding hanger link isprovided with a pair of downwardly extending projections or teeth 93 and9d for engagement in the recesses 9| and 92, respectively. The head isalso provided with an upwardly extending recess 95 which is adapted torest on the upwardly extending projection 89 in normal position of thebolster, as shown in Fig. 8.

The parts are so constructed that the projection 93 is spaced slightlyfrom the bottom of the recess 9| when the parts are in normal positionso as to permit slight angular or lateral movement of the bolster beforethe projection 93 engages th bottom of the recess 9i. The lower ends ofthe arms 85 are provided with vertical slots 96 for receiving a hangerbar 91 therein. Each of the hanger bars 91 is provided with a recess 98on its lower edge which is adapted to be engaged by the lower marginaledge of the slot 96 for holding the hanger bar 91 in position. Thehanger bars 91 support the spring plank S3 in the usual manner.

In. the normal position of the bolster, the hanger links 85 will extenddownwardly and outwardly as shown in Fig. 8 but when the truck travelsaround curves at high speed, the bolster which supports the car bodywill be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force and when the links 85 atthe right in Fig. 8 are thrown outwardly, it will be seen that theprojection 93 on the outer hanger link will, after th initial movementof the bolster, engage in the bottom of the recess 9| and will cause asharp banking of the bolster due to the shortening of the radius aboutwhich the hanger links 85 swing under such conditions. The projection 94on the inner link; that is, the link on the inner side of the curve willsimultaneously engage in the recess 92 which will also shorten the linksradius somewhat but not so much as that of the outer link.

I Itis thought from the foregoing, taken in con nection with theaccompanying drawings, that the construction and operation of my devicewill be apparent to those skilled in the art and that changes in size,shape, proportion and detail may be made without departing from thspirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a railway truck, a truck frame, swing hangers pivotally supportedby said frame, a spring plank connecting the lower portions of saidhangers, springs supported on said plank, a bolster supported on said.springs, and means causing said bolster and the vertical axes of saidsprings to remain substantially normal to each other while said truck isrounding curves at high speed, said means comprising a downwardlyextending rigid projection on said bolster and a single resilient platerigidly connected at one end to said projection and rigidly connected atits other end to said spring plank, said resilient plate extendingnormally substantially horizontally.

2. In a railway truck, a truck frame, swing hangers pivotally supportedby said frame, a spring plank connecting the lower portions of saidhangers, springs on said plank, a boster supported on said springs, aresilient radius member normally extending substantially parallel withsaid spring plank and consisting of a single member flexible throughoutits length, and means for rigidly connecting said radius member to saidbolster and spring plank, respectively, for preventing tilting of saidsprings when said bolster moves endwise under centrifugal action onrounding curves at high speed.

3. In a railway truck, a truck frame, swing hangers pivotally supportedby said frame, a spring plank connecting the lower portions of saidhangers and having an elongated slot therein, springs on said plank, abolster supported on said springs, and a single resilient radius memberhaving its central portion between its ends flexible and having its endsrigidly connected to said bolster and spring plank and movable in saidslot when said bolster is depressed.

4. In a railway truck, a frame, a bolster having a rigid downwardlyextending projection thereon, springs for supporting said bolster, swinghangers swingingly mounted on said frame, a spring plank supported bysaid hangers for supporting said springs, and a flexible connectioncomprising a single bar member having its central portion resilient andhaving its ends rigidly connected to said projection on said bolster andto said spring plank for causing said bolster and spring plank to swingtogether whereby tilting of said springs relative to said bolster willbe prevented when the bolster moves laterally due to centrifugal forcewhen said truck rounds curves at high speed, said connection engagingsaid bolster inwardly of the wheels of said truck.

5. In a railway truck provided with rigid side frame members, transomsspaced apart rigidly connectin said members together, swing hangers eachcomprising downwardly xtending arms pivoted at their upper ends to saidtransoms and movable in the arc of a circle transversely to said framemembers, a cross member for rigidly connecting the lower ends of saidarms together, a spring supporting member for connecting the lower endsof said hangers together, springs mounted on said spring supportingmember, a bolster supported on said springs, and means including asingle resilient bar constituting a radius member extendingsubstantially parallel with said spring supporting member and rigidlyconnected to said bolster and member for causing said bolster and thelower portions of said hangers to wing together and to provide forcompression of said springs, said bar being resiliently flexible betweenits end portions.

6. In a railway truck having a truck frame including transoms extendingtransversely across said frame, a pair of swing hangers pivotallyconnected to said transoms, a spring plank connecting the lower ends ofsaid hangers, said spring plank having a. slot extending longitudinallythereof, a bolster between said transoms, means including springsbetween said plank and bolster til for supporting said bolster on saidhangers, and means independent of said springs for causing the lowerportions of said hangers to move laterally of said truck when saidbolster moves endwise on said truck, said means comprising a singleresilient connector member rigidly attached at its inner end to aprojection on said bolster and at its outer end to said spring plank andmovable in said slot when said springs and bolster are depressed forpreventing a substantial tilting of said springs, saidconnector memberconsisting of a single bar resilient and flexible between its attachedends.

'7. In a railway truck, side frames having depending pedestals, journalboxes slidably mounted in said pedestals, wheeled axles journaled insaid boxes, equalizer bars carried by said journal boxes, resilientmeans for supporting said frames from said equalizer bars, transomsrigidly connecting said side frames together, a bolster, swing hangerscarried by said side frames, a spring plank connecting said swinghangers for supporting said bolster from said frame, said spring plankhaving an elongated slot therein, springs interposed between said springplank and bolster, means including a bar connected to said bolster andspring plank and independent of said springs for preventing tilting ofsaid springs relative to the bolster when said bolster moves laterallyby centrifugal force in rounding curves, said bar being movablevertically in said slot when said bolster is depressed, and cam meanscooperating with cam members on the bearings at one end of said hangersfor shortening the effective lengths of said hangers when said bolsterswings laterally outwardly of the truck on curves at high speed, saidcam means and members being so constructed and. arranged that saidbolster may have a limited initial endwise movement from normal positionprior to the operation of said cam means for shortening the efi'ectivelengths of said hangers.

8. In a railway truck, a truck frame comprising side members andtransoms connected to said side members, a bolster between saidtransoms, swing hangers pivoted to said transoms, a spring planksupported on said hangers, a cam connection between said swing hangersand spring plank so constructed that when said spring plank movesendwise outwardly the outer cam connection will rise abruptly after itsinitial movement, springs for supporting said bolster from said springplank, and a radius member between said bolster and spring plank andextending longitudinally of said bolster for preventing endwise movementof said bolster relative to said spring plank on rounding curves.

KNUTE EDAHL.

